Pulsation dampener for flow lines



April 1954 F. H. M CLANAHAN ET AL PULSATION DAMPENER FOR FLOW LINES 2 Sheets-Sheet).

Filed July 14, 1950 21 6190 2 MLyz Z 8 Attorney April 1954} F. H. MCCLANAHAN ET AL 2,575,650

PULSATION DAMPENER FOR FLOW LINES Filed July 14,, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (Q31 i 82 i 12 L, 4

:1 [turn ry Patented Apr. 20, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Floyd H. McClanahan and Nelson M. Lvtle,v Shreveport, La.

Application July 14, 1950, Serial No. 173,854

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a pulsation or surge dampener adapted to be connected at any point to a high pressure fiow line, as for example an oil pipe line forming a part of a service system which is normally under relatively high pressure and wherein fluctuation occur in the pressure causing pulsations or surging pressure.

More particularly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a device of extreme- 1y simple construction by which surges in the pressure may be dampened and minimized for maintaining a more uniform pressure in the pipe line and which device will also function to effect a balancing action in the case or" a loss of pressure in the flow line.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a pulsation dampening device of extremely simple construction which will function auto matically, which will require only slight maintenance and which is capable of effectively accomplishing its intended result.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View, partly in vertical section, showing the pulsation dampener in an applied position;

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal or vertical sectional view of a portion of the device taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 2-2 of Figure 3;

Figure 3 is an enlarged horizontal or cross sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure i is a vertical sectional view taken substantially alon a plane as indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 2, and

Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective View of a part of the apparatus.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the pulsation dampener in its entirety is designated generally and includes a pipe, designated generally 8, having a lower section 8, the lower end of which is secured to and communicates with a flow line Iii, such as a line through which oil is conveyed. under pressure, and the upper end of the pipe section 9 is secured by means of abutting flanges 9a to the lower end of the housing of any conventional type manual shutoff valve II. The upper section l2 0: the pipe 8 has a lower end which is secured by similar connected flanges I3 to the upper end of the housing of the valve H, so that said valve housing forms a part of the 2 conduit provided by the pipe sections 9 and I2. The upper pipe section l2 constitutes a cylinder and is provided with a flared upper end l4 which terminates in a top wall l5 and an outwardly extending flange It. The top wall is is provided with a central opening ll. One or more spacer disks [8 are superimposed on the top wall I5 and are provided with central openings I9 which register with the opening H. The disks or spacer blocks i8 also have a radial bore of noncircular cross section the inner'end of which opens into the bore 59 and the outer end of which opens outwardly of the periphery of the spacer disks I 8.

A pipe 2| is provided with a bottom wall 22 which rests upon the upper spacer disk l8 and said pipe 21 is likewise provided with an outwardly projecting flange 23. Suitable bolt and nut fastenings 2i extend through the flanges l6 and 23 and the blocks or disks i8 for securin said parts together and in abutting engagement. The bottom wall 22 is provided with a central opening 25 which likewise registers with the opening l9 and said bottom wall 2 2 is provided in its upper surface with an annular seat or recess 26 surrounding the opening 25. The upper end of the pipe 2| is provided with an annular flange 21 and is normally closed by a plate or closure 2% which is detachably secured to the flange 21 by fastenings 2S.

The pipe section 12 constitutes a bottom cylinder and the pipe 2: constitutes a top cylinder. A piston rod, designated generally 30, has a lower section 31 which is disposed in the cylinder I2 of a larger diameter than its upper section 32 which is normally disposed in the upper cylinder 2i.

The piston rod 38 extends reciprocally through the openings ll, i9, 25 and is provided with a frusto-conical portion 33 connecting the adjacent ends of the rod portions 31 and 32, as best seen in Figure 2. The rod portion 3i terminates at its lower end in a restricted threaded terminal 34 which extends through a piston 35, which is secured thereon detachably by a nut 36 which engages said threaded terminal. The opposite end of the piston rod til is provided with a corresponding restricted threaded shank or terminal 37 forming an extension of the upper end of the rod portion 32 and which extends through a piston 38 which is likewise secured thereon by another nut 36. The pistons and Bl are provided with piston rings 39 and are sized to fit relatively snug in the cylinders l2 and 2!, respectively. A collar til is slidably mounted on the rod portion 32 within the cylinder 2| between the adjacent ends of 7 two expansion springs 4| and 42 which are mounted on the rod portion 32. The upper coil spring M has its upper end seated in a recess 43 in the bottom of the piston 38 and the lower end of the lower coil spring Q2 seats in the recess 26, the adjacent ends of said spring seating against opposite sides of the collar on. It will be readily apparent that the springs t! and 42 normally urge the pistons 35 and 38 and the piston rod 38 upwardly with respect to the cylinders l2 and 2|.

A valve roller guide unit, designated generally 54, includes spaced blocks 45 and 46 which are connected by a restricted stem ll. The block 46 has a threaded socket :8 which projects from the side thereof opposite to the side from which the stem ll projects. The blocks 25 and at are sized to reciprocally engage the radial bore and fit relatively snug therein. The blocks 45 and 38 and the stem 4'5 are provided with com-- municating lubricating passages it which are provided with a lubricating fitting 5a which projects diagonally from the socket 38. The end of the block at, remote to the stem ll is provided with a groove 5i which extends transversely thereacross of arcuate cross section which defines a, segment of a circle greater than a half of a circle in which is journaled a roller 52, a portion of the periphery of which projects from the open side of the roller groove 5i toward the bore or opening IS. The lubricating passages 49 open outwardly of the side walls of the blocks 45 and lit and into the groove 5! for lubricating the radial bore 29 and the roller 52. A shank 53 has a threaded end 54 which threadedly engages the socket t8 and carries a jamb nut 55 for adjustably positioning the shank 53 relatively to said socket to variably space the opposite end of the shank 53 from the socket 48. A

sleeve 55 has a flanged end 5'! which is secured to portions of the periphery of the flanges l5 and 23 and disks !8 by fastenings 58, so that the sleeve 55 registers with the bore 2!} and forms an enlarged continuation thereof, as clearly illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4. The shank 58 is normally disposed in the sleeve 56.

An elongated block 59, constituting a valve housing, has one end snugly fitting into the outer end of the sleeve 5% and detachably secured thereto by fastenings 6t. The valve housing 55 has a bore extending therethrough from end-to-end thereof including a restricted portion 6i forming a valve stem guide, located adjacent the inner end of the housing 59, one end of which opens into a stufhng box 52 which is provided at the inner end of the housing 59 and the opposite end of which opens into a longitudinally extending chamber as formed in the intermediate por tion of the housing 5.9 and constituting an intermediate part of said longitudinal bore. The oppcsite end of the chamber 63 is flared to provide an annular valve seat fi l and opens into one end of a larger chamber 65. A threaded bore portion 65 constitutes the opposite end of the longitudinal bore of the valve housing 59 and opens outwardly of the outer end of the housing 59 and into the opposite end of the chamber 55 and is normally closed by a threaded plug 61 having a stem 58 projecting from its inner end into and partially through the chamber 85. A valve 55 is disposed in the chamber 65 and normally seats in the valve seat 64 and has a stem '59 which extends longitudinally through the chamber 63, through the guide bore 5! and stuffing box t2 and the opposite end of which projects into the sleeve 56 and bears against the outer end of the shank 53. An expansion coil spring H is disposed in the chamber 65 on the stem 68 and bears with one end against the plug til and has its opposite end bearing against the outer side of the valve 69 for urging the valve toward the seat 64. A threaded port l2 communicates with the chamber 65 and opens outwardly of the bottom of the valve housing 523 to receive a threaded end of a pipe 13 which opens into said chamber 65. A port 1 3 communicates with the chamber 63 and has a threaded end :75 which opens outwardly of the top of the housing 59 and in which a threaded end of a pipe I6 is detachably secured, so that said pipe end communicates with the chamber 63.

The opposite end of the pipe 73, not shown, may be supplied with air or gas under pressure by being connected to a suitable source of air supply, not shown, such as an air tank or air compressor, or to a gas :line for receiving pressure therefrom. The conduit 13 is provided with a manual shutoff valve 71 which is ordinarily open when the apparatus 1 is in operation, and is also provided with a conventional air or gas strainer l8. The opposite end of the upper conduit '16 is connected to the closure 28 and opens into the chamber 19 formed by a portion of the cylinder 2| disposed above the piston 38. The conduit 76 includes bleeder port '80 equipped with a manual shutoff valve and a plurality of conventional check valves BI disposed between the bleeder port and the valve housing 59. An overflow pipe 82 has one end connected to the flared pipe portion I4 and the opposite end thereof, not shown, may open into any suitable sump or other discharge. The flared pipe portion i4 is also provided with an inspection opening 83 normally closed by a plug 8 3. The cylinder 2|, be low the normal position of the piston 33 is provided with a conventional type of low pressure release valve 85. cated by a conduit 86 which is supported by a bracket 81 secured to one of the fastenings 24,

a lubricant into the chamber 19 for lubricating the piston 38.

The valve l I is only closed when it is desired to shut off th surge dampener 1 from the line IE! while making repairs or inspecting the internal parts of the apparatus. Assuming that the valves I i and l! are open, when the valve H is initially opened the fluid under pressure from the pipe Ill will enter the cylinder 12 below the piston 35 to displace the pistons 35 and 38 and the piston rod 38 upwardly from positions below their positions as illustrated in the drawings. At the time of initial upward movement of the piston rod 30, the valve 69 will be closed due to the fact that the spring H will have projected said valve and the roller guide unit 44 to the right of its position of Figure 2. As the pistons and rod 39 move upwardly the frusto-conical portion 33 of the rod 30 will move into the bore 19 and into contact with the roller 52. rther upward movement of the rod 30 will cause the frusto-conical portion 33 to cam the roller guide unit 44 from right to left of Figure 2 to its position of this figure thereby exerting a thrust upon the valve stem 10 to displace the valve 69 to its open position of Figure 2. The roller 52 revolves in its journal groove 5| by f-I'iC.

The chamber 79 may be lubri tional contact with the piston rod 30 when said rod is reciprocated. As soon as the valve 69 is thus un-seated, air or gas under pressure from the line 13 will pass through the valve chamber 85 and 63 into the line '16 and through said line into the cylinder chamber 1 9. When a suflicient amount of gas or air under pressure has thus entered the chamber 19 to overcome the pressure in the cylinder [2 below the piston 35 and the pressure of the springs 4! and 42, the pistons 35 and 38 and piston rod 30 will be displaced downwardly until the frusto-conical rod portion 33 moves to a position below the roller 52, so that the spring 88 can return the valve 69 to a closed position and the apparatus '1 will then be in a balanced condition. In the event of a surge of pressure in the line I 0, the increased pressure thus resulting in the cylinder 12 below the piston 35 will displace the pistons and rod 38 upwardly to admit additional air or gas pressure, as previously described to the chamber 79, until the apparatus is again returned to a balanced condition and with the valve 69 closed. In the event of a sudden drop or total loss of pressure in the line H), the springs 4| and 42 will prevent the pistons and rod 30 from moving downwardly too rapidly and when the piston 38 has moved below the release valve 85, the air or gas pressure in the chamber 19 will escape therethrough. The valve 85 is constructed to restrict the escape of the air or gas pressure to prevent sudden unloading of the chamber "I9, and after a sufiicient unloading thereof, the apparatus will again return to a balanced position. Fluid or vapor escaping past the piston 35 will pass 01f through the overflow pipe 8 2 and air or gas escaping past the piston 38 may escape through the bores l '1, I9, 25 when the rod 30 is below its position of Figure 2 and may likewise escape through the overflow pipe 82 to prevent the pistons being blocked from movement by a pressure in the cylinder portions disposed therebetween. The roller 52 is constructed of a spark proof material to prevent accidental ignition of any vapors in the flared pipe portion 14. Likewise, the leakage of the air or gas pressure past the piston 38 will be sufficient to prevent a pressure rise in the chamber 19 sufiicient to prevent normal operation of the pulsation dampener.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that the surge or pulsation dampener 1 may be readily attached to a pressure flow line and will efiectively function to dampen surges of pressure therein and to maintain mor uniform pressure at all times. It will likewise be obvious that the apparatus will require little maintenance and attention and. will function automatically to accomplish its intended result.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claim.

W e claim as our invention:

In a pulsation dampener for a fluid pressure line, a piston rod having a tapered cam portion intermediate of its ends tapering toward one end thereof, a piston rod guide through which the piston rod reciprocably extends, a valve housing connected to the piston rod guide and adapted to be interposed in a conduit for supplying a medium under pressure to an end of a cylinder in which the piston rod is disposed, a valve biased to a closed position contained in said valve housing for shutting off the flow through the conduit, and a valve actuator reciprocably mounted in the piston rod guide having one end engaging the piston rod and an opposite end engaging the valve, said valve actuator being urged toward th piston rod by the biased valve and being displaced toward the valve by engagement with the cam portion of the piston rod when the piston rod is moved in one direction to unseat said valve to permit the fluid medium under pressure to pass through the conduit, said valve actuator including a block having a groove extending thereacross in a direction transversely of the longitudinal axis of the valve actuator, a roller journaled in said groove and having a portion of its periphery projecting therefrom and frictionally engaging the piston rod, the axis of the roller being disposed at a right angle to the aXis of the piston rod, said valve actuator having lubricating means therein including discharge ports opening outwardly of the walls of said block which engage the piston rod guide and outwardly of said groove for lubricating the block and roller.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 359,315 Cregier Mar. 15, 1887 477,468 Sutclifie June 21, 1892 594,787 Gallagher Nov. 30, 1897 1,593,122 Hallstead July 20, 1926 1,948,988 Lupfer Feb. 27, 1934 2,286,880 Traut June 16, 1942 2,368,852 Lauck Feb. 6, 1945 2,415,258 Parker et a1 Feb. 4, 1947 

